


Who's Been Sleeping in my Bed?

by Annehiggins



Category: Marvel Avengers Movies Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-18
Updated: 2012-08-18
Packaged: 2017-11-12 09:53:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/489564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annehiggins/pseuds/Annehiggins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony comes home from an overseas trip to find Steve asleep in his bed. Written for <a href="http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/8247.html?thread=18601015#t18601015">this prompt</a> on the Avengerkink meme.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who's Been Sleeping in my Bed?

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't have a great birthday this year (June 2012) and when I saw this prompt asking for a birthday pick-me-up, I couldn't resist. I hope it's exactly what you wanted!

[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/anne_higgins/pic/00016h83/)

At 3:10 in the morning the pilot finally activated the com to tell his crew to prepare the passengers for landing. Given they were all flying in Tony Stark's personal jet, preparing the passengers meant waking up Tony Stark and Pepper Potts in time to shower and dress before arrival in New York City since both of them were sound asleep in their respective bedrooms.

The jet had those – three of them plus a dorm set up for the flight attendants – all complete with comfy beds while two of the bathrooms on board contained small but adequate showers. It made traveling overseas tolerable and allowed Tony and/or Pepper to arrive refreshed and ready to deal with whatever crap awaited them because if there was anything the business world was good at throwing at the two most important members of Stark Industries it was crap.

Fortunately they'd left the crap on the other end of this journey and the pre-landing routines were more for the benefit of any press looking for signs of weakness than anything else. Tony didn't bother with a suit, just pulled on dark slacks, a button down and a jacket. It still made Pepper arch an eyebrow when he entered the main cabin and joined her in more traditional, if plush, aircraft seating. He matched it with a pointed look at her silk dress and heels.

She smiled. "Too much?"

He considered the way the silk molded to her body and answered, "Not if beneath that nonchalant exterior beats the heart of a man with an eye for beauty."

She rolled her eyes, but the smile didn't fade. It pleased them both they could still banter and flirt despite the demise of their ill-considered attempt at a romantic relationship. It could have cost them everything given they'd both acknowledged each was all the other really had. And while it had seemed such a sentiment would have been the stuff of an epic love story, it had all ended with surprisingly little drama and hurt almost the moment the 'all they had' descriptors were no longer true. Now they did have an epic relationship – one of friendship and a business partnership that was literally changing the world.

Case in point? The jet surrounding them took off using conventional fossil fuel, but once airborne it used the kinetic energy of the air flowing around it to power the engines. This was the fifth cross-country/world trip both or one of them had made since construction had been completed, and _finally_ the airlines had gotten over themselves and their fear of lawsuits enough to start putting in orders.

It wasn't Tony's brain child, but one created by a small firm in Switzerland that had lacked the capital and clout to keep going with the project. Tony had swept in, done some tinkering to refine things – and had been pleasantly surprised at how little he'd had to do or redo – and one almost-totally-clean-energy controlled jet was born. It was all part of SI's mission these days – either create or help others create new ways of powering things. Tony brought his genius and his capital to the table when something came to his attention that he hadn't thought of but had a lot of promise. Given this new mission for a former munitions company was more about atonement for the past than the worship of profit, prospective business partners always found themselves pleasantly surprised at how equitable the negotiations proved. Tony was determined it would all end up a win-win for everyone involved including consumers.

SI's newer stockholders and members of the board got it. They'd invested time and money in the vision of a better world. And to be fair even some of the old guard had joined the party, but a good deal of the crap flowed from those who hadn't. Currently, he and Pepper were flying home from Sydney after dealing with a perpetual naysayer who had refused to resign from SI's board or to stop shouting from the treetops about how Tony's business practices were fraud given he never, ever sought the highest profit possible for his stockholders. In other words, everyone knew it was Tony who came to those deals with all the power so he could have pillaged and raped his way through the intellectual property of others and left them in ruins while everyone connected with SI got richer. Obi would have couched it as Tony shirking his responsibilities.

Fed up with it, Tony had flown to Australia to have it out with the old bastard in person since teleconferencing wasn't working. Pepper had gone along to make certain blood wasn't shed. In the end Tony had paid the man five times the worth of his SI stock and had obtained his resignation. Given the high value of the stock – he was the only major name in clean energy – it was an outrageous pay off, but he considered it money well spent. And, for him, it had been less than pocket change. More like coins found under a couch cushion.

While they'd been there, they'd checked out a company working with some promising innovations with solar energy so it hadn't been totally about ridding themselves of a pain in the ass, but by the time they'd finished up both projects they'd been away from home for almost three weeks. Which brought them back to the reason they were both overdressed for a ride home from the airport.

For Pepper it was her fiancé, Agent Phil Coulson. She'd met the man, who would eventually be assigned as the SHIELD liaison with the Avengers, back when Tony had first become Iron Man, in fact the guy had almost gotten killed defending her against Stane and his Iron Monger suit. But she'd been too focused on Tony in those days and apparently there had been a cellist on Phil's end of things.

Then a lot of world-almost-ending shit had gone down, the Avengers had formed to stop it, and Phil had gotten killed. Except not really. Turned out he'd done the 'almost' thing again but Fury had exaggerated to motivate 'the troops,' something Tony understood intellectually – mostly because it _had_ worked – but had put an end to any remote chance he might one day be more than frenemies with Fury. In any case Tony'd gone through his own bout of 'almost killed' and it had opened his eyes to a couple of things.

First and foremost he'd gone to that 'almost' trying to call Pepper to say goodbye – at JARVIS' suggestion – but he'd been thinking about someone he was pretty certain he hated at that point so as an epiphany it had sucked big time. But in any case, his reunion with Pepper had consisted of a hug and an "I love you, but we need to end this' on his part and an "I love you and thank God" on her part. At least Fury had come clean about Phil before Tony had put his foot in it and told Pepper he was dead.

Instead he'd ended up taking her to the SHIELD infirmary where they'd waited together for him to come out of a coma. When he had, Tony had slipped a 'new' set of vintage Captain America cards into his hand and had said, "Fun fact, we never actually slept together. There was a lot of hugging and kissing and talking and we're always going to love each other in our own way. Oh, and if you hurt her, I'll make what Loki did to you look like a hicky." He'd smiled at Phil, patted him on the arm and had left him in Pepper's formidable care. They'd ended up engaged in six weeks.

Tony's own reason for playing dress-up hadn't moved nearly as quickly. About the time Phil was slipping a rock on Pepper's finger, he and Steve Rogers had gotten around to admitting maybe, possibly they didn't dislike each other. Much. That had led to dating-like stuff if not official dates. And sex. Lots of sex. Most of it angry because one of them had pissed off the other and they couldn't seem to start shouting at each other anymore without it ending with Steve's cock up Tony's ass. Something they'd come close to doing often enough before Fury could clear out of the room that they both felt they'd more than paid back the director of SHIELD for his 'Coulson is dead' gambit.

The non-angry sex had started happening in the last few weeks before the Australia trip. And it had been as awkward as it'd been hot because they hadn't seemed to know how to get started without the shouting, but once they'd gotten over it wow. Tony had even considered asking Steve to come along on the trip although he'd ended up glad he hadn't. The way things had worked out he wouldn't have had a chance to see Steve until they'd boarded the plane for home. Couldn't see that as having gone down well, but he'd also found himself planning on making the trip again this time with Steve and without any business. And yes, it was inconvenient epiphany time again because if he hadn't been fantasizing about his honeymoon like some teenaged girl Tony would eat his goatee.

This had led him to 'prettying up for his man' the same way Pepper had without the benefit of a ring on his finger or knowing how Steve would react to being referred to as Tony's 'man.' Tony figured it was about a 50-50 split between a smile and a punch in the mouth. "Anyway," he said, pulling himself back to the present, "you look good. Phil is a lucky man."

He winced internally as he said the last part because he'd set himself up for –

Sure enough Pepper smirked and answered, "So is Steve."

He opted for a 'Steve who?' look and muttered, "There might be press." Which was a damned stupid response given his prevailing attitude about the fourth estate – useful at times, but mostly fucking annoying and never to be catered to unless absolutely necessary (and usually following a death-threat from Fury.)

She ignored him and said, "It's about time you figured out you're in love with him."

Oh, fuck. She'd used the 'L' word. "Pep…"

"No, Tony, don't try to talk yourself out of it."

Talk himself out of it? He'd spent most of the night dreaming of a ring on his finger, a wedding and being carried over the threshold. And damnit, why did his subconscious insist on casting him as the girl? Right down to him being the one wearing the white tux and if that wasn't the biggest joke of all time he didn't know what was. "I can't," and because this was Pepper he admitted, "I tried, but I can't."

"Tony, Steve loves you, too," she said getting right to the heart of the matter which was why she was Pepper.

The words made him feel warm inside. Anyone saying them would have given him a flutter, but Pepper? She knew all, saw all or at least it seemed that way a lot of the time. And in this? She loved him too much to say anything if she wasn't absolutely certain. "Really?"

She nodded. "So don't hurt him because if you do, I'll figure out how to use one of your gauntlets to shoot you in the ass."

The mental image made him flinch, but he kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks." They ended up holding hands for the last few minutes of the flight oddly more affectionate with one another now than when they'd tried dating.

To Tony's relief the press didn't descend on them when they deplaned. Good news on two levels – 1) no press and 2) it meant his plane was no longer news in the 'waiting for it to blow up in mid-air' category so his arrival had to be covered. Beginning of mainstream acceptance and that was one of the keys to change.

Happy Hogan was waiting for them when they cleared customs, opening the door of the Audi for a retreat into the comfort of the backseat. It was late enough they were all fairly quiet beyond exchanging greetings and a few sentences of 'what's been happening' on either side of the world.

They could see the bright spire of Stark Tower long before they reached it. Most referred to it as Avengers Tower since he had not replaced the sign damaged during Loki's invasion. He'd stabilized and repaired it so it looked nice again, but as a tribute to those who had died that day, only the 'A' remained from his name. At the moment the brightly lit letter didn't stand for his name or his team's. It stood for home and he was more than ready to be there and not moving.

Happy parked the car in Tony's private garage under the Tower, then opened the door for them again. "By the way, Boss, it's a good thing you're back. Maybe you can get the Captain to stop sulking."

Tony's ears perked up like a dog hearing a whistle. "Steve's been sulking?"

"Pretty much non-stop since you left," he answered with a grin. "Funny coincidence."

Happy and Pepper traded looks worn by teenaged-conspirators everywhere and, for fuck's sake when had he ended up back in high school? At this rate, he was going to wake up suddenly and find himself in the middle of an algebra test. "Fine, he loves me, too," he huffed, then heard what he'd said and couldn't fight his own grin.

Although Happy, along with a few other SI employees both valuable enough and brave enough to share real estate with the Avengers, had a nice-sized apartment of his own in the building, he hit the button for Pepper's floor, then Tony's, but not his own which was on a lower level. Part of his job was to safely see them home and he didn't consider it done until they'd crossed the elevator threshold into their own upper-level suites. Protocol was iffy on whether or not Pepper, as CEO, or Tony, as the creative mind behind SI, should be delivered first, but Tony's standing orders were clear on that point – long-suffering lady first.

"Night, Pep," Tony said exchanging kisses on the cheek with her and envying the fact her own relationship had progressed far enough Phil was asleep in their bedroom. It made him glance longingly at the button for Steve's floor, but no, he'd see him in a few hours and it was the middle of the damned night. Something he hadn't considered when he'd dressed to impress. Shit, love was making him stupid.

The doors opened on the penthouse and he said his good-nights to Happy. Fairly rested from his long sleep on the even longer flight home and disappointed by the idea of not seeing Steve for several more hours, Tony decided he'd change then go kill time in his workshop. He wondered if Pepper was feeling equally foolish and would be joining him, but no. No agent of Coulson's caliber would sleep through someone entering their bedroom, so she'd have her reunion. He should be so …

Tony paused in his bedroom doorway and stared at the large lump in his bed. A Cap-sized lump. He drew in a quick breath and had to block his inner-teenaged-girl again when 'she' wanted to squeal, "He's sleeping in my bed! He _missed_ me!"

He felt dizzy with it. Everything Pepper and Happy had said confirmed loudly and clearly enough not even his self-doubts could shout it down. Steve loved him. Which meant … his heart began to pound and he clutched the doorframe to steady himself. It meant they were in love. What should he do now? He wanted to wake Steve up to share the moment, but he knew the man would be embarrassed. They weren't due in for three more hours, plenty of time for Steve to wake up and erase his presence from the room. But the plane had taken off early, they'd made good time in the air, and for once, customs hadn't been out to prove anything so they'd breezed through.

"Maybe this is a dream," he said softly, Steve stirring at the first word, then going tense. "I must still be asleep on the plane because no way I got lucky enough you missed me so much you couldn't sleep without at least my scent on the pillows."

"Tony," Steve whispered, sitting up, but not moving further. Probably trying to assess the situation to figure out how to react which was why he was the fearless leader. And Tony? He was the impulsive one.

"JARVIS lights up 20 percent," he whispered, needing to see more than dark shadows but nothing too bright either. He closed the door and leaned back against it. "I stole one of your t-shirts," he admitted. "Slept with it like a teddy bear. Got all dressed up for you, too."

"Tony," Steve repeated, but this time his hand lifted, reaching out for him.

He fairly flew across the room and into his arms, then made an embarrassingly happy sound when they closed around him. It made Steve chuckle, but it was okay because he tightened his hold, pulling Tony firmly against his well-muscled chest as Steve captured his lips in a searing kiss.

"Hey, gorgeous," Steve smiled as their lips parted.

Tony took a moment to preen. "Glad you appreciate the effort. Now, want to get me naked?"

"God, yes." Steve stripped Tony with admirable speed – Tony had taught him well – and shed the boxers he'd been wearing for good measure. Now, that's what Tony liked. Miles of hard muscle all bared for him. Not to mention the talented hands getting reacquainted with Tony's body.

After weeks apart he'd imagined a frantic coupling as they tried to make up for lost time, but their hands caressed, not clutched; their lips explored, not devoured. And when Steve finally shifted Tony beneath him it was with soft words not frantic curses.

Steve captured Tony's gaze with his own and held him ensnared while his fingers managed to cherish Tony at the same time they prepped him. "Steve," he sighed when his lover's length slid into his body, wanting him inside far more than he wanted to get off. God, they were making love, not having sex and it made Tony tremble.

"It's all right, baby," Steve soothed him. "I've got you."

'Baby?' It had to be love because he didn't mind, couldn't even think of some sarcastic comeback or ridiculous pet name to bestow on him. Never flown so high it robbed him of speech and he felt his cheeks warm. Blushing. He hadn't done that since his age had reached double digits. He tried to hide his burning face against Steve's shoulder and neck, even as his legs moved to urge the man deeper into him.

"Let me see you," he whispered, nudging Tony back against the pillow and recapturing his lips, then his gaze. "So beautiful."

Tony thought he might be purring or if he wasn't that he should be. "Steve," he whispered the word with a reverence someone else would have used for a prayer. Happy. The emotion rolled through him and he trembled again. God, he was not only in love, but he was happy. What had this man done to him?

Steve picked up his pace again, increasing the friction enough to encourage both their bodies through a gentle climax that coaxed something awfully close to a sigh of bliss from Tony. His only solace was he heard a similar sound escape from Steve.

Neither apparently willing to release the other, they lay together entwined, exchanging lazy kisses and caresses. Took several minutes for words, but Tony was a man of them, so he finally had to speak, except … "I missed you," they both admitted in the same breath.

It made them laugh, but they did it again with, "I love you."

Tony grinned and shifted back enough to see Steve's face. "Guess neither of us gets bragging rights on saying it first."

Steve brushed a kiss across his lips. "Then I'll have to settle for being the one to ask you to marry me."

Even with the arc reactor regulating it, his heart skipped a beat. "You proposing?"

A warm palm rested against Tony's face. "It's where we're headed."

Tony nodded.

"But are you ready for me to?"

And that? That was the reason Tony not only loved him, but was willing to follow his orders in the field – Steve knew how to assess any situation. "Maybe not," he admitted, feeling nervous and raw inside at the newness of all of this. "But soon."

Steve didn't look disappointed. Instead he smiled, then kissed Tony again. "I can wait. As long as you remember you're mine."

"And you're mine."

"Always."

*

It surprised Tony when he woke up since he would have sworn he hadn't been tired enough to sleep, but Steve cuddling him had lulled him into sweet dreams. And the faint, but distinct scent of one of Steve's killer omelets in the making told him where his missing lover had gone. Probably planning breakfast in bed, but Tony found he didn't want to wait in the bedroom when he could be with Steve now in the kitchen.

He ignored the sappiness level of the thought during a quick clean-up in the bathroom. Opting against dressing yet, he pulled on his discarded boxers and his robe, then made his way toward the kitchen, but stopped when he heard Steve say, "I promise I won't hurt him, Pepper."

"See that you don't," she answered, her voice heavy with that ruthless edge that made far more seasoned businessmen consider wetting their pants. "Or I'll kill you with your own shield."

"And I'll make certain she has the authorization to do so," Phil added, and oh, God, the two of them had just given Steve the shovel speech. He'd known his immediate future was full of those, but he'd never expected anyone to give one to Steve!

Tony grinned, made enough noise to let them know he was coming, but couldn't resist pressing a kiss to Pepper's forehead when he walked in to find her and Phil sitting at the table drinking coffee while Steve toiled away at the stove.

She gave him a 'did you overhear that?' look. He smirked. She blushed. And he thought, 'what the hell,' and gave Phil the same forehead kiss he'd given her. It earned him the usual inscrutable look Phil always gave him, but the guy's eyes twinkled so Tony figured he was pleased … or planning a hideously humorous revenge.

Deciding it wasn't the worst idea to remind Phil that Tony's continued existence made Steve happy, and, oh, who was he kidding, he wanted a hug, he moved into Steve's arms. "Morning," he said, giving Steve a soft kiss when his lover leaned down.

"Morning," Steve smiled at him. "You look awfully pleased for being on this side of your first cup of coffee."

"Hmmm, I was thinking maybe we could look at rings today." He couldn't shake that urge for an engagement ring, and he wanted to have a look at what was out there. "Give you some inspiration."

"To propose?"

"To design one worthy of a Stark, then I'll make it. Our wedding rings, too."

Steve gave him a soft, pleased smile. "Sounds perfect."

Yes, it did. It was, and always would be. In their own sort of imperfect way. "Ask me," he whispered.

With a grin, Steve dropped down on one knee, taking Tony's hand. "Tony Stark, will you marry me?"

"Yes."

end


End file.
